Cosmos
by n.kukurichan
Summary: As a full-pledge nurse, Ai has her fair share of ups and downs in life until a devastating earthquake and an outbreak destroyed everything she knows. Fortunately for her, she has a loving boyfriend ready to remind her that difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations.


A/N: Early mornight, Hataraku! Fans! Elli here~ This will mark my first Hataraku fic written in a modern!au. Despite me being an amateur at writing, I hope I can bring enjoyment to each and everyone reading this ;)

Before anything else, take note of the following:

 **Akagawa Ai (AE3803), Shirogane Yuuichi (U1146),Nakamura Shiori (Macrophage), Yoshida Keiko (AA5100), Hasegawa Yuuto (Helper T Cell) , Yui (platelets division), Hiba Ryuuchi (Killer T), Fujimori Sosuke (Dendritic Cell), Koizume Takeru (B-Cell), Shirogane Hisoka(Eosinophil), Fujioka Fumio (NK Cell)**

Have fun and don't forget a review~

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 **DISCLAIMER** : Hataraku Saibo belongs to the one and only Akane Shimizu- _sensei_!

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 **Chapter 0:**

 **COSMOS**  
{tranquillity, 'life is indeed beautiful', peacefulness, love flower}

* * *

Ai let her stiff shoulders sagged in relief as a group of nurses passed her seat hurriedly, their grim faces hidden underneath their face masks and their kits ready. The woman did notice several of her co-workers nodding in her direction before they left the lobby. She could only wave at them, silently wishing them all the luck that they would need. Not when panic has settled among the citizens since the earthquake hit their city, Kanegawa.

Hasegawa immediately raised the alarm, declaring the city under a state of calamity the moment Sosuke called in requesting for backup. At a moment's notice, Special Forces were immobilized and set off towards the affected areas and begin standard rescue operations. Meanwhile, Ai has been stuck in the hospital for days. The sudden influx of patients in need of immediate medical attention left her an impression that indeed, it was chaos out there. The woman could feel her heart sinking in dread as she wrapped her arms around her trembling figure. She was scheduled to leave that very afternoon to deliver boxes of medicine for a small clinic and ran late due to an emergency.

The woman could only be thankful to whoever god was out there. Had she left half an hour earlier, Ai would be among those people swept under fallen debris. Or worse, missing ones lost forever.

A tear trickled down her flushed cheek moments after the thought settled.

"Hey." Ai glanced at her senior, Keiko, taking a seat beside the silent red-haired woman. Her friend looked fresh from surgery, a small patch of blood decorating her cheek. Despite the smile she offered to the younger, the woman looked exhausted as the others. The staff had their shift twice now; Ai herself had no idea how many hours passed since she rested. "How's it going? I heard from Nakamura- _senpai_. Takeru- _san_ issued an emergency outbreak nearly a week since the earthquake happened."

The nurse nodded, offering no words of affirmation. What with the catastrophe and the casualties it brought, she found her person weaving through crowded corridors. Most were injured or scheduled for surgery. Ai stared when she saw a nurse or two rounding up children by the lobby, all but crying for their still missing parents. A few stray teardrops escaped her eyes but managed to control her person until the woman saw the bulletin board a few feet from the entrance.

She barely read the information when Ai was called over, her co-worker biting back tears when an infected patient bit his arm as she prepared the tranquilizer shot. Evening finally rolled unto the horizon after hours of grueling rounds and only when at the safety of her private quarters did Ai cry.

It never takes a genius what that board meant when outbreak have been this bad. Until they controlled the situation, patients will come knocking at Death's door for every second, the minute they wasted.

"Why don't we take a break at the cafeteria- _Ai-chan, were you listening to me_?" The said woman blinked, catching Keiko's worried gaze. When the red-haired woman said nothing, the elder sighed deeply. "Honestly, you're working yourself too hard."

Ai shook her head, soft yet scratchy laughter escaping her lips. "I'm needed here- No, the people need all the help we can give them and-"

"No can do, Ai- _chan_ ~" Keiko turned around as the red-haired nurse squeaked in surprise when a hand felt her cheek, then her forehead. Ai swirled on her feet, vision tunneling with the sudden movement and almost fell backward if not for Keiko and another woman she knew very well supporting her back.

"S-Shiori- _san_ , I-" Nakamura Shiori smiled, putting her finger against her lips.

"Rest, dear~ You've been up for 21 hours."

"B-But-!"

"Take- _chan_ deemed the situation under control. Despite that, we have to stay vigilant and with that fever-" Ai stared at the older woman before her, disbelief written on her unusual red face. They cornered her into agreeing, didn't they? Over the radio, she could hear the aforementioned man snorting in amusement. "I was nothing but a messenger. It was Sosuke who told me to relay the message, though~"

Ai rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"By the way, Yui- _chan_ and her friends wanted to help at the cafeteria." The woman let her jaw fell open.

 _ **What in the world?**_

"Shiori- _san_ , Yui- _chan_ 's a child herself." Shiori waved a hand, scandalized at the thought.

"Goodness! What are you thinking, dear? Of course, I'd be supervising the children with chores. And you-" She pointed a finger on the red-haired woman. Ai pouted in response while trying to stop her person from sneezing. She did a second later, earning a chuckle from the head nurse. Shiori patted her cheek in reassurance. "You will go home and get proper rest. Do you understand me?"

Ai gave her a perplexed look. She was in charge of today's medicine and food as well. Then, there were her rounds as well. Keiko grasped her shoulder, poking the evident frown on the red-haired nurse's forehead. "I'll be taking care of your patients until you return. Rest assured, Ai- _chan_."

"Keiko- _senpai_..."

"There could be aftershocks or gods forbid, another epidemic arising for the following weeks," Takeru added, severity replacing his earlier amusement. "Until then, give yourself a breather, Ai- _chan_. I heard from a certain someone that he's pretty much worried about you, you know."

Shiori giggled beside her as the red-haired woman hid her flushed cheeks with her hands. "T-Takeru- _senpai_..."

"What? I'm just telling you the truth!" The man reasoned, laughing to himself. "Unless you wanted it to be Sosuke telling you that?"

" _TAKERU-SENPAI_!"

* * *

Ai blinked, stopping short on her way when she saw a familiar-looking man leaning against a _Honda CBR 600_. Last she heard from him was a week ago, right before the earthquake hit. The red-haired nurse had been worried sick when she heard nothing from the man until later.

Catcalls erupted as Shirogane Yuuichi stumbled back when she hugged him tightly, her breath shuddering. She trusted the man will return safely as always but she can't help but be worried, not when work was as dangerous as his. There was a moment of silence before the officer wrapped his arms around her, whispering an apology. Several teasing and pushing later, the two managed to find a minute of privacy themselves.

Only for Ryuuichi walking in on what seemed to be a lover's "bonding"- or so he assumed (Imagination caused by his jealousy towards his relative's apparent love life). Dragging the white-haired officer away, Ai could only wave goodbye and a dip of his head from Yuuchi that indeed, he received her well-thoughts before he disappeared.

Ai pushed her scarf up, almost frowning. Of all people, she understood perfectly. She had been a nurse for nearly a year already but Yuuichi, facing constant danger every single day as a police officer, worried the woman. Work that required a 24/7 surveillance was a challenge itself, always on-call when emergencies happened. And while they have that in common, the white-haired officer-

The thought of Yuuichi gone forever on the earthquake made her chest tightened. And Ai ran towards her lover, smile vanishing completely and hugged him tightly.

Yuuichi seemed unperturbed despite his surprise when she came upon him, burying herself on his white uniform. "Ai- _san_ , are you alright?" She heard him asked, his voice as calm as he remembered. The red-haired nurse felt him shift before she felt a heavy material dropped on her shoulders.

Yuuichi's jacket never felt so warm like this before.

Ai nodded.

"I heard from Shiori- _san_." The nurse leaned back her head slightly when Yuuichi touched her forehead. And nearly giggled when she heard his usual tone changed, his indifferent person frowning. "It did seem that you are burning up. Have you been resting properly, Ai- _san_?"

Ai shook her head slowly. "T'was nothing compared to what you guys did. I mean, you're always protecting us from danger." She replied. Yuuchi said nothing, barely stroking her hair affectionately.

"Hey, there's no need to equate yourself with us." He muttered. "And there's no need to blame yourself for what happened. I know you, Ai- _san_ , and I know you've been doing your best to save everyone." Yuuichi tilted her chin, hazel ones meeting with his lone dark eye. He smiled and wiped a stray tear falling from her cheek. "No need for apologies because you've been nothing but our saving grace in time of need."

The woman chuckled bitterly. "I can't seem to believe that, Yuuichi- _kun_. Have you seen me when you didn't even bother to send a message? I-I thought I lost you, you idiot." The white-haired officer nodded, offering her comfort when she wrapped her arms around him once more. He knew that Ai has been crying a lot when her patient, a 67-year-old woman, recently died due to a heart attack. At least, that was what Hisoka mentioned during a rendezvous with the others.

Apparently, his brothers-in-arms led by Satou, who was eavesdropping, practically sent him off to see her. They even convinced Fumio to lend her precious bike with threats against his life that she'd be free from scratch. He sighed inaudibly. Aside from his superior's rambling later, he'll have to hear those jerks inquiries about the nurse.

Not that Yuuichi approved, of course; those guys saw Ai as everyone's sister and seemingly, his soon-to-be wife. Ryuu looked like he wanted to kill someone but got into an argument with Fumio they mentioned it.

"I can't promise you that it won't happen again. As such, I can only apologize when it did but-" Ai stared at him, hazel eyes blinking curiously when Yuuichi avoided her gaze. Oh, he looked distracted with something, she mused. "-with you here waiting, I will and always find my way back to you no matter how lost I am."

Nothing could have saved her from embarrassment when her mouth moved on its own accord despite her blank thoughts.

"I love you."

Silence. Then, Ai covered her lips immediately, cheeks burning bright red at her sudden admission. She could blame her hastiness to her fever but with Yuuchi standing in front of her, frozen, she panicked. "I'm sorry but I don't even know what came over me. I mean, since the day I met you, I find Y-Yuuichi- _kun_ amazing and kind and brave and outright a-attractive. You even make it a point to drive me to the h-hospital every single day-"

"That's because you tend to run yourself into trouble."

"-despite the traffic. Plus, y-you're willing to wait for me even at the middle of the night-"

"We saw you at a bus stop coincidentally on our way back from an investigation. And bound to Tokyo as well."

"-spend your off days with me doing grocery shopping and help me cook dinner and even bring me lunch-"

"You've been doing the same thing when I get too busy."

"-then I discovered that I have fallen in love with you and- Oh my god, I said too much, haven't I?!" Ai managed to say even with her hands, now covering her flustered face. Many have been saying that their relationship's pretty much laid back but they were work-driven people. They barely have time for such leisure on endearments or proclamations caused by their current standing. Basking at each other's presence, however, have been enough.

Asserting herself, on the other hand . . . The nurse studied the man, his poker face cracking as he laughed. "Y-Yuuichi- _kun_?"

"Is that a proposal, Ai- _san_?" Ai swore her cheeks were as red as her hair now.

" _ **YUUICHI-KUN**_." She looked at him in shock when she felt him kissed her head and melted when Yuuichi captured her lips for one sweet kiss, followed by another on her forehead. Everything seemed to turn black as she collapsed to her knees, only to regain her awareness when she noticed the other hovering above him.

"Too soon?" Yuuichi chuckled when Ai simply gaped at him. Then, her face flared up when the nurse realized what happened. The officer inclined himself to whisper next to her ear. "I'm so grateful for the sentiment but let me do my job as a man and propose to you in a much appropriate place and time."

Ai groaned, her blush receding. She could only hope that nobody heard "that" or she'll never hear the end of it.

An awkward cough second later and a flash caused horror settling on her heart as both looked up. Standing by the entrance with a Cheshire grin was Takeru with his phone out. Alongside him was Keiko, giggling with a hand covering Yui's eyes as if protecting her from something inappropriate.

"Ohmygod! Not again!" Yuuichi shook his head in return, chuckling at himself. Yes, he would hear from his superior later the moment he got back to work.

"Let's go home, Ai-san."

A gentle breeze passed through, rocking a cluster of cosmos in varying pinks and whites along its way.

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I'm sorry? ^^;


End file.
